Brake



Oct. 9, 1934. M. w. MccoNKEY 1,976,451

BRAKE Filed Feb. l1, 1929 Z6 "ulallnmn 74,

l I ll'lm "'0 je 74 6466 62 35 `ustment;

Patented Oct. 9, 1934 PATENT, ori-fica" BRAKE Montgomery W. McConkey, `South Bend, Ind., as-

signor to Bendix Brake Company, South Bend,

Ind., a corporation of Illinois Application February 11, 1929, Serial No.'338,999

20 Claims.

This invention relates to brakes, and is illustrated as embodied in an internal expanding brake for an automobile. 1

An object of the invention is to provide a 6` simple and inexpensive but efficientadjustment for a brake or the like, preferably including a pair of interengaging wedge members with externally-cylindrical faces vpivotally seatedY in sockets in the ends of the shoes or their equiva-.`

lents. Another object of the invention is to simplify 4the structure of the wedge members, and the means for operating them.

A feature of the invention relates to novel centering means for the friction parts of the brake, which may be used with the adjustment.

Preferably this means includes a resilient lever ormember, such as a leafl spring, carrying a centering member acting to vreturn the brake friction means to initial position when the brake is released.

The above and other objects and features of -4 the invention, including various combinations of parts, and various desirable structural fea tures, will be apparent from the followingdescription of two illustrative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is avertical section through the brake, just inside the head of the' brake'drum, and showing the brake shoes in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a partial section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the novel adjustment and the novel centering means;

Figure 3 is a partial section corresponding to Figure 2, but showing a modification of the ad- Figure 4 is an end elevation of the adjustment of Figure 3, looking downwardly in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a partial sectionshowing the brake anchorage on an enlarged scale. J

drum 10, at the open side of which is 'a support such as a backing plate 12, and within which is i arranged the friction means of the brake shown as comprising apair of interchangeable shoesV 14 and 16. The brake is applied by means such as a oatingv lever or cam 18 having` rollers or the like 20 and 22 in thrust engagement respectively with the shoes 14 and 16, the lever or cam acting-against'the resistancel of coil springs 24 tensioned between the shoes. Suitable shoe-p01 sitioning devices or steady rests 26 may be provided. 4When the drum is turning clockwise, shoe 14 anchors against a xed pst 28; and when the drum-is turning counter-clockwise the shoe 16 anchors against a fixed post 36. Tlie anchor The illustrated brake includes a rotatableA 62 made as' steel stampings.

posts 28 and 30 pass through suitable slot's in the webs of the shoes 14 and 16.

At their lower ends, the webs of the shoes are or may be cut away on semi-circular curves, and semi-cylindrical stampings or equivalent lparts 32 welded or otherwise secured thereto. Parts 32 'form socket'spivotally receiving and engaging wedge members 34 and 36 having inclined faces wedgingly engaging each other. Member 34 has a polygonal socket in its end, to 65 receive the head of a bolt 38 passing through l relatively large openings in both Wedge members, to hold the bolt against turning, thebolt having threaded thereon an elongated nut 40 engaging ,membery 36 and passing throughanopening in 70 the backing plate .so that it can be operated from outside "the backing plate. Wedge members 34 andA 36 are shown with projecting lugs engageable after some lost motion with the upper and lower edges of sockets 32, thereby preventing the wedge members from turning out of the sockets while the brake is being adjusted.

A coil spring 42 is 4shown sleeved on'the nut 40, and is' compressed between a washer 44 'slidably engaging the backing plate and a washer 46 held on the end of nut 40 by means such as a cotter pin 48. Spring 42 holds the shoe a'ssembly against lateral movement, and prevents rattle of the parts.

When the brake is released, lthe shoes are preferably returned to their initial positions, at their lower ends, by novel centering means shown as including a double wedge shaped member providing a notch 50 embracing' nut 40 just inside the backing plate, clearly shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. Wedge 50 may be ii'xed at the en'd fof a novel resilient member such as a leaf or wire lto its initial centered position.

In.-the arrangement of Figures 3 and 4, the 100 adjustment includes two wedge members 6() and Both of these stamped wedge members have semi-cylindrical faces seated in the sockets 32, and extended to form at parallel sides having inclined edges. 105 These inclined edges of member 60 are inwedging engagement with those of member 62, and' are shown as being channel-shaped and slidably embracing the outwardly-turned edges of member 62.

1n this arrangement, a stamping 64 seated on 110 vbolt 74 draws nuts 66 and 68 toward each other operating bolt extending axially of said members the end of member '62, 'aidwformed with-parallel groovesgtoembrace ythe end edges of member 62, is formed to embrace a nut 66 and hold it against turning. A second nut' 68 engages a flange 'on *174 has e right threaded portion and a left thi-eea i ed portion to receive the nuts' 66 and 68, one of the nuts being a righthand thread and the other a lefth'and thread to correspond. Thus turning to wedge shoes 14 and 16 o 'A- spring' 76 confined between member 60 and .washer 72 Yholds the parts against rattling` or other lateral movement, washer 72 being welded or otherwise secured to o. largerwasner 7s sudably engaging the outer face of the backing plate.

Bolt 74v extends through an opening inthe back` ing plate, 'so that it can be operated from outside thebacking plate. f. Y Y

While two illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, it is not my intentionf to` limit its scope to those particular embodiments, or votherwise than by the termsof the appended VI claim:

- members having inclined faces infwedgingr engagement with each other and lformed with curved. external surfaces adapted to seat pivotally in sockets inthe ends'of the shoes, in combinay tion with means for forcing said members in ops posite directions to expand the joint betweenthe shoes to compensate for wear.

2. Adjusting means connecting a pair of brake Y shoes or .the like comprisinggapaig having inclined faces in wedging witheach other andiormed-withexternal surof members engagement facesadapted to seat in sockets in the ends of the shoes, o in combination with means for forcing said members in opposite directions to expand the joint shoes -o'fbrke shoes vor thelike comprising a pair' of inclinedfaces in gsrgement with each lcurved external adapted Qseatpivotally -insocketsinthe ends of'iheshoes, in combina- )another portionool'rying doublcfwedge moved I witnfeooh other ondrormen with 'shoes orthe'like oomprisinga pair ofmembers having. inclined faces `in wedging engagement shoes or the like comprising-a pair tionwiththreaded'parts,

. lof soia `meinten-.omi e to'foroe. tnemin.

opposite direotiom the shoes.

4.A Adjusting means lemmi"inclined` fw. in

them toenpand lthe jointbetween the shoes. T 5. Adjusting means' connecting apair ofbrake .with eacHotherand forned with external surrates adapted 'to in soexetein the off the shoes,- in combination with engaging the end of saidmembers and jointly -operable toforce'said members lli-opposite -ofshoes connected by an expansible joint into compensate fori the end rooes ..by flexing said 6. Adjusting means connecting a pair of brake. shoes or the like comprising a pair of members having inclined faces in wedging engagement Y with each otherand formed with external surfaces adapted to seat in sockets in the ends of the shoes, in combination witha bolt engaging one of 'said members and a nutthreaded on the bolt and engaging the other of said members and operable to force saidV members in opposite `l'directions to wedge the shjoesapart,

'-7. Adjusting means comprising a pair of extere 'nelly-cylindrical members having inclined faces in wedging engagement with `each other and having end partsopposite each other, and an o and having a head operatively engaging oneend part and a nut operatively engaging the lother .end part.'

8. Adjusting means comprising a pair of exterwilly-cylindrical members having inclined faces `in we engagementwith each other, together `with parts for operating said members, and ,cen tering means actingon one of said parts.

9. A- brake comprising, in combination, a -pair 100 cluding a. pair of wedge members.' operating means actuatable to cause-said members to. wedge the shoes apart, and centering means engaging vand acting on said operating means.

of shoes-'connected by an expansible joint, and a resilient lever flexed by movement -oi-said joint -and serving to return the joint to initial position when the brake is released.v 11. A brake comprising, in combination, shift` 110 4able friction means, and a resilient lever iiexed by Ishifting of the friction means and acting to return the friction means to its initial position when the brake is released.

1 2. A brake comprising, in combination; a 115Y drum, friction means shiftable to different anchored positions when the drum is turning in opposite directions, and a. resilient lever flexed by shiftingfof the' friction means ineither dirction and acting to retm'n the frictionrieans tolgo its initial position when the brakewis released.. ""7

13. Brake centering means comprising a resilient member having one portion fixed and havingl another portiol'r carrying a: centering wedge' moved by flexing said member; 125 '14. Brakeenteringm la ent memberhaving and having 15. brake centering devioe aillent 8921118 mmber hyis a wedge nxedly'.' .mountedato'neeni 16.f-Ad-.-iusting'meansforitmiosV brakev shoes'or thelike kapairof members-having inolmedroeeamen-135:,

'sement with each andfrormed with 'ex- Y )WIW seat in 1 sockets inthe ends of the shoes,`in'on -theendfaeesofsaidmcmbersa.ndoper-` withr o manon-rotatably' eoon orma members, -part having right'uo anillo threaded WhiCh Said nut! I are threaded respectively.

` 17. Adiustingmeans comprising apair` `0t ..x femur-mmm@ .Stammes having wij edesttheedeooi'onefonnednsohannelswedgingly'ieceiving the edgesof the other 1 8. Adjusting pair of ex ternally-cylindrical having inclined 1191110138 in wedsinginter and op- 15o.

\ '1o. A brake comprising, infooinbination, a pair 'lbs etre-@1ro s Anal to'whichsaidbrake pivotaliy 'conf 5` tion extended to form fiat sides terminating 'in inclined wedge portions "at their f edges'.

20. The combination of a brake shoe;l a journected, said journal each formed withan inclined surface the inclined surface. of the other' member; means to prevent rotation of said members relative to each` other; and means for adjusting saidvl mem. bers 'to provide a snug nt between said journall :and said brake shoe. s,

' MONTGOMERY WQMCCIONKEY.

comprising two members' l 

